Earlier in the week, the Canyon Del Oro Dorados laid the foundation for a first-round home playoff game by virtue of beating Salpointe, 4-3, in a tense extra-inning game.

“As far as beating Salpointe,” said CDO coach Stephen Ambuehl, “We might not be in the playoffs without it.”

The Dorados first-round 8-5 win over Glendale Kellis on Saturday wasn’t much easier. With the first-round victory, CDO will now face first seed Chandler Seton Catholic in the second round on Tuesday. Results of the game were not available at press time.

In first-round action, Erik Migueles hit a home run to tie the game 4-4 in the fifth inning, setting the stage for the winning rally in the sixth.

“The home run was on a first-pitch fastball,” Migueles said.

Jared DuBois opened the sixth with a single. Leo Khawam was asked to bunt. Khawam put down a bunt to move the runner over and appeared to be out at first. But the first baseman dropped the ball, putting runners on first and second. Next, Ambuehl had Anthony Cordova bunt. Cordova bunted it past the pitcher’s right to load the bases with no outs. On a grounder to short, a great throw home by the shortstop cut down the lead runner for the first out. Migueles blasted a bases-clearing double to make it 7-4. Ryan Bronson punched a single past the right side to bring in Migueles for the eighth run.

For Migueles, he finished with four hits, and also gunned down a runner at second base on a base hit.

“I knew I couldn’t get it diving so I let it drop,” Migueles said.

The uncertainty over whether the ball would be caught or dropped made the runner hesitate. Migueles took advantage and registered the assist.

“I’ve had a couple of three-hit games,” Migueles said. “That last inning topped off the day.”

The Dorados banged out 13 hits in the win. Bronson had two hits, Nick Ames two, and Cordova had a pair of safeties.

The game was a back-and-forth affair between the 16th seed Dorados and the number 17 Kellis.

Gabe Benevides pitched just over four innings for CDO, allowing six hits, four walks, and two earned runs.